101 If She Dies, the Kingdom Dies With Her

Chapter 101: If She Dies, the Kingdom Dies With Her

A sudden realization flashed through Fang Rulai’s mind: this is a trap!

Shi Lingyun had been shot by an arrow outside the door and had fallen backward into the room. Fang Rulai was crouched beside her, examining her condition, her body partially shielding the doorway’s line of sight. This meant that anyone entering the courtyard could only see Shi Lingyun lying on the ground but could not confirm whether she was dead. Then, a sudden voice rang out, immediately labeling Fang Rulai as the “murderer of her aunt.” Could there be any other explanation besides them being accomplices?

Fang Rulai loosened her grip on the arrow and turned around to see a group of burly guards swarming towards her. Behind them, standing angrily in the center of the courtyard, was a burly elderly man.

Though aged, his posture and vigor rivaled that of a younger man. Coupled with his confident demeanor and striking resemblance to Guan Yihe, Fang Rulai was certain this was Guan Shiyin’s grandfather, Guan Qinghuai.

The same old master of the Guan family who doted on his youngest grandson, Guan Yihe, yet never interfered in household affairs as long as he was fed and entertained? Was he in league with Shi Lingyun? Were they plotting together to eliminate his own grandson and seize control of the Guan family?

Fang Rulai suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for Guan Shiyin, whose fate now hung in the balance. Despite having many close relatives alive, none seemed trustworthy or comforting. Moreover, Guan Shiyin had never mentioned that his grandfather was scheming for the family's power. Could it be that this elder was a master strategist, lying in wait until the perfect moment to strike?

“Sir...” Fang Rulai attempted to probe Guan Shiyin’s grandfather, seeking to gauge his intentions.

Guan Qinghuai, however, ignored her words. “Seize her!”

The guards stepped forward and easily twisted Fang Rulai’s arms behind her back, their strength nearly causing her to cry out in pain.

No—it was impossible to gather information while restrained like this.

“Ban...” Fang Rulai tried to call out to Banxia for rescue.

But before she could utter more than one syllable, Guan Qinghuai issued another order: “Silence her!”

A grim-faced guard quickly pulled out a silk cloth and stuffed it into Fang Rulai’s mouth before she could react.

The cloth was smooth and fresh-smelling.

Clearly, it had been prepared in advance.

Suddenly, a wave of panic swept over Fang Rulai’s heart. Guan Shiyin was absent, the Second Prince was nowhere to be found, Guan Yue was missing, Banxia was gone, and her own abilities had failed to warn her of this trap. Her one skill—verbal sparring—was now stifled. What fate awaited her now, a lamb led to slaughter?

Guan Qinghuai gave her no time to ponder. “Knock her out!”

Not to be arrested and disgraced before the magistrate or dealt with immediately to tie up loose ends—he intended to render her unconscious? This was the last coherent thought Fang Rulai had as the arrow struck the back of her head and darkness claimed her.

The world fell silent.

Meanwhile, in a secluded backyard of another grand residence, silence was abruptly shattered.

“How could you leave her side at a time like this?” Guan Shiyin shouted at the Second Prince Li Lingcheng, disregarding the Prince’s entourage surrounding them. “Have you thought about how dangerous it is to leave her alone in the Guan residence? No, you must return at once! If anything happens to her... sickly as she is, I will have your kingdom buried with her!”

The Crown Prince sneered coldly in reply, “That is my kingdom!”

No one paid him any mind.

Li Lingcheng used all his strength to support Guan Shiyin. “Enough. You should take care of yourself first. If I hadn’t arrived in time, with you barely able to stand from the effects of the drug, I think it would be your kingdom buried today.”

Again, the Crown Prince’s eyes blazed. “That is my kingdom!”

Still, no one listened.

Supporting himself with his sword, Guan Shiyin pushed away Li Lingcheng’s arm. “Guan Yue, escort the Second Prince back to the Guan Mansion, and check on the young lady’s safety. If, by chance, something happens to her, send our Second Prince to join his kingdom in death.”

The Crown Prince nearly jumped up in protest. “That is my kingdom!”

Guan Yue’s urgent voice easily drowned out the Crown Prince. “But, master, if you...”

Li Lingcheng interrupted her firmly: “I’m not leaving! My kingdom is only a kingdom with you in it. If you die today, what kingdom would that be?”

The Crown Prince’s face darkened to iron. “That! Is! My! Kingdom!”

No one cared.

Guan Shiyin said firmly, “Guan Yue, take the Second Prince and leave immediately!” Only Banxia remained by Fang Rulai’s side. If anyone tried to remove Banxia now, the consequences would be dire. “Leave right now!”

Guan Yue shook her head, “No, I can’t leave the master!” The Crown Prince had secretly scattered drugs inside the carriage where the master was hidden, clouding her mind. If she left now... “Even if the master later demands my death as atonement, I will not leave her now!”

Li Lingcheng declared, “I won’t go!” The combined number of his men and Guan Shiyin’s black-clad guards was barely half of the Crown Prince’s forces. If he left, could the drugged Guan Shiyin survive the day? “If leaving means only your survival, then I’d rather we all die here together!”

Behind them, Zhu Xishi waved her unused butcher’s cleaver. “Look, folks, things don’t look good on the other side. If you keep dallying like this, none of us will leave this place alive!”

Shi Bilian carried her younger brother Shi Xiaodou on her back, sword pointed at the enemy. “I thought escaping home meant safety, but far away in Shengjing is even more dangerous! Xiaodou, don’t be afraid. Even if I have to risk my life, I’ll protect you!”

Xiaodou clung to his sister’s neck, face full of sorrow and anger. “Sister, if anything happens to you today, I want his kingdom buried with you!”

The “he” Xiaodou referred to was the Second Prince.

Zhu Xishi burst into laughter. This little drama lover was imitating Guan Shiyin perfectly—the tone, the expression, all vivid to the core.

The grinding teeth of the Crown Prince sounded loud as thunder. That is! His! Kingdom!

Guan Shiyin and the others had just relaxed slightly at Xiaodou’s outburst, only to tense again instantly.

Guan Shiyin flicked his wrist, slicing his own forearm with his sword. Pain surged, and his foggy mind sharpened.

“Master!” Guan Yue cried out, quickly producing medicinal herbs to treat the wound.

“This wound helps me now. No medicine.” Guan Shiyin took a deep breath and widened his eyes, fighting the drug’s influence. “Guan Yue, I’ll lead the way. You cover our rear. We break out!”

Before others could respond, he summoned his internal energy and charged at the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince stepped back, waving his hand. “Kill them all, no matter who lives or dies!” The “Guan Shiyin” who had appeared publicly was likely in their hands now, so this unknown “Guan Shiyin” could die with impunity.

Armored imperial guards moved forward to block.

The Second Prince raised his folded fan and slammed it down. “Attack! Those who kill enemies today will be richly rewarded once I unify the kingdom!”

“Yes.” Li Lingcheng and the black-clad guards accompanying Guan Shiyin were all energized.

The two forces clashed immediately, every punch connecting, every sword stroke drawing blood. Both sides feared calling for reinforcements or attracting public attention, so “quick and decisive” became their shared battle philosophy.

The breakout group led by Guan Shiyin formed a spearhead, wounded but resolute, pushing toward the courtyard gate.

At the spearhead’s center was the unskilled Second Prince, eyes fixed on the Crown Prince beyond the fray.

The Crown Prince had martial skills but did not strike.

Li Lingcheng suddenly spoke. “Brother, why do you think when I recovered and returned to the capital, so many officials voluntarily came out to welcome me?”

The Crown Prince sneered dismissively. “Besides my kingdom, I never waste time on such trivialities. Whatever their reasons, I am certain that after today, they will never do so again.” This was his kingdom; no one could be allowed to covet it, even in words.

“So, you’ve decided to exterminate us all?” Li Lingcheng asked.

The Crown Prince pointed to a severed head flying through the air. “Do you still think I’m joking?”

“I think you’re playing games with the kingdom and the state!” Li Lingcheng’s face showed no fear despite being surrounded by death. “Many citizens saw me taken away with my carriage. If I die here, how will you explain it to the world? Will you issue a kill order like before, saying ‘better to kill a thousand innocent than let one escape’? A Crown Prince who has yet to ascend, stirring up bloodshed twice in two months—though the people may be too frightened to speak, what about the ministers? Are you sure you want to provoke them before your coronation?”

“Seems those ministers who welcomed you back were quite pleased,” the Crown Prince said, flicking his hand as an arrow was readied from behind a guard. “At Guan Mansion just now, believe me, I had no intention of killing you then.”

The deaths of Granny Zhu Xishi, the fake Zhao Ke and his servants, the crowd at the main hall—so many had died in Shengjing over these two months that no one in the city felt safe or prosperous. Trained as a ruler from youth, the Crown Prince understood that unstable public sentiment meant political instability, which threatened his own position.

Thus, when he learned the Second Prince had recovered, that many officials came to welcome him, and that the Second Prince was distributing grain and seeking alliance with the Guan family, despite his desire to eliminate his younger brother, he hesitated. Even if only to placate ministers, the Second Prince had to appear alive for now.

But just now, his resolve changed. Hearing the other declare himself the rightful owner of the kingdom, the Crown Prince felt his dignity challenged. To live was to merely cling on; to die in secret was not death at all.

Li Yincheng bent his bow and aimed at Li Lingcheng in the crowd.

He planned to eliminate Guan Shiyin first and then capture Fang Rulai alive. But since the other had come seeking death, and Fang Rulai was likely already caught, sending him off early was acceptable.

The sharp arrow shot through the air.

Guan Shiyin was the first to sense it, twisting his body to deflect the arrow with his sword, but a guard took the blow for him, failing to block it.

The Second Prince’s guards tried to break free and protect him, but the imperial guards intensified their assault, blocking all attempts.

Guan Shiyin roared, “Guan Yue!”

Ignoring the fierce attack, Guan Yue turned to save him, slicing the arrow mid-flight, but was struck hard in the back by an enemy’s blade.

Blood sprayed everywhere.

Beyond the crimson mist, the Crown Prince’s faint chuckle was clear as he released another arrow.

Guan Yue tried to rise, supporting herself with her fists, but collapsed again uncontrollably.

Guan Shiyin swung his sword with all his might, then turned to rescue her, but his body wavered. Drugged and bleeding, even his strong constitution could not withstand the combined effects.

Shi Bilian was already overwhelmed protecting her little brother and fighting the deadly guards. She had no chance to help the Second Prince.

Zhu Xishi, armed only with a butcher’s cleaver and relying on her skill in slaughter, could barely defend herself with the guards’ cover. To ask her to rescue anyone was futile—an arrow would reach its target before she could arrive.

As the murderous arrows approached, the Second Prince closed his eyes.

The reason was simple: their prolonged good fortune had made them careless. They focused so much on maintaining appearances and public favor, pressuring the Crown Prince from the people’s stance, that they forgot the Crown Prince who poisoned his own father and baffled the imperial physicians was no ordinary foe.

Now, bold enough to attack them openly, the Crown Prince must be confident Fang Rulai had fallen into his hands.

Li Lingcheng clenched his fists in frustration. He had the Guan family’s immense wealth, a strategist with special abilities, and control over the nation’s salt trade. He no longer needed to hide. Was all his effort to be undone in one stroke?

He was unwilling to accept defeat.

Suddenly, Li Lingcheng opened his eyes, about to speak, but quickly shut his mouth as another arrow sped toward him.

The two arrows collided mere inches from his face and dropped to the ground.

He had escaped death.

Who had saved him?

Li Lingcheng and Li Yincheng both turned their heads, then froze.

From the courtyard gate came a charging horse, followed by a group of horses. Before anyone could wonder where so many had come from, a string of firecrackers exploded just outside the wall, landing amidst the horse herd. The noisy blasts only drove the horses into greater frenzy.

A guard with a spear was the first to face the onslaught. As the horse charged, he instinctively lunged, striking one horse’s eye. The horse screamed and kicked wildly, trampling the guard beneath its hooves. The wounded horse cried out and flailed, creating chaos.

The outer ring of guards, originally blocking the Second Prince’s breakout, now became a shield protecting his faction from the stampeding horses.

The mad horses and panicked guards tangled in a violent melee.

The Crown Prince shouted, “Stay calm!” but his voice was drowned by the continuous firecrackers.

Guan Shiyin spotted a carriage rushing through the gate. He feinted and retreated to the Second Prince. “See that carriage? It’ll break through soon. When it does, everyone jump on.”

The Crown Prince saw it too and knew his commands would no longer reach the guards. He quickly bent his bow, aiming an arrow at the horses pulling the carriage.

Guan Shiyin held his breath and charged. He deflected the arrow, then lunged to stab the Crown Prince’s chest.

The Crown Prince used his bow as a shield. They fought fiercely but both kept an eye on the approaching carriage.

As the carriage neared, the Crown Prince shoved Guan Shiyin back and tried to nock another arrow, only for Guan Shiyin to slash his bow and arrow away.

Unable to nock an arrow, the Crown Prince gathered energy in his palm and shot an arrow by hand at the horses.

Guan Shiyin lunged again but, blurred by blood loss, only cut the arrow’s tail.

The arrowhead still flew straight toward the horses.

Guan Shiyin steadied himself and sprang to catch the horses, but the Crown Prince’s arrow attack came again.

Forced into defense, Guan Shiyin glanced at a figure suddenly leaping from the carriage. Shifting to offense, he pressed the attack.

The Crown Prince panicked and turned to see what was happening. As he twisted, Guan Shiyin’s sword crossed his neck. The Crown Prince shrank back, turning again, only to find Guan Shiyin blocking his view.

By the time he found a clear angle, everyone was gone.

Only the black-clad guards remained; the others had boarded the carriage.

Guan Yue, half-lying on the carriage’s front, called out to Guan Shiyin, “Master, get on!”

The carriage gathered everyone inside. The driver cracked the whip and headed out. If Guan Shiyin didn’t board now, the guards who had quelled the mad horses would surely capture him.

Guan Shiyin understood perfectly, but before he could react, the Crown Prince leapt to block his path.

“Trying to leave? Not so easy!”

On a lighter note:

In the third paragraph of this chapter, there was a phrase originally written as “in the center of the courtyard,” but when uploading, it was blocked due to a forbidden word “hou ting” (backyard). I searched repeatedly in Word and found no such phrase. Then I realized it was the phrase “hou, ting yuan,” with a comma. The system seems to censor commas too! It replaced “hou” with “xiao” (small), allowing the upload to succeed.

Uh, what about the feelings of Du Mu, the poet who wrote “Across the river, still singing the flowers of the backyard”?

This book is first published here.